What is The Front Porch, anyway?

The Front Porch is a non-profit community music school based in Charlottesville, Virginia. Our warm, family-friendly space is a place where inspiration happens: we host classes, workshops, master classes, weekly jams, and performances. Our teaching artists, each professional musicians themselves, offer lessons and group classes in a variety of musical styles, including bluegrass, old time, gospel, acoustic blues, and folk.

Inspired by the rich musical heritage of Central Virginia, The Front Porch seeks to create a strong, vibrant musical community comprised of music lovers of all ages, abilities and backgrounds. As a non-profit organization, it is our mission to make music inclusive, affordable, and accessible to all. We offer scholarships, present lots of free programming, and we have priced our classes at a level that is below the national average without compromising the pay scale of our teachers.

The Front Porch began in the home of local educator Emily Morrison in 2015, and soon found its home in downtown Charlottesville. More than 200 people come to The Front Porch each week to take classes. Our weekly jam programs, which are free and open to the public, draw a diverse crowd of participants. We host a wide array of performers who offer workshops and concerts in our intimate listening room.

The Front Porch was founded with the strong belief that music is a universal language that brings people together. It is a bridge between our past and our future. It allows us to express ourselves creatively and connect with others. Experiencing music together allows us to feel the magic of creation happening in real time, and it requires concrete skills from dedicated instructors, and deep sustained practice to achieve. The Front Porch aims to provide the highest quality educational experience, coupled with opportunities to practice and share in a community setting.

The Front Porch

A place for all ages to learn bluegrass, old time, gospel and the blues from master musicians who love to teach as much as they love to play.